Do not underestimate the power of internal marketing
The last few weeks has seen many people returning to the workplace. For some it might have been the first time in months. Whilst many have been excited to return to work, there are those that would have felt slightly apprehensive, nervous even frightened. It is not possible to know exactly how Covid-19 has impacted an individual.
From feeling the great loss of a loved one, friend or colleague to creating new paranoias and stripping many of their confidence to socialise, communicate and be comfortable in public spaces – the pandemic has without question affected all of society.
It is now more important than ever for businesses to focus on employee wellbeing and to be mindful of the influence that Covid has had on them. Respectful acknowledgement of changes in behaviour and uneasiness to be with others in confined spaces is key. It is not enough to just put up mandatory hygiene safety notices and provide sanitiser, face masks and other required PPE. Business owners must do more than this.
The return to work signals a great opportunity to implement positive change to business practices and overall employee expectations. Now is the time for companies to embrace business culture.
Some are very good at this and others struggle to understand that it is possible to be ‘human’ and professional at the same time. In fact some of the biggest companies in the world invest £millions into their business culture, employee recognition and training programmes. These companies believe in the ‘a happy workforce is a productive workforce’ philosophy, which is a tried and tested approach.
Creating an inclusive environment and opening up channels of communication to allow staff to understand the company objectives, targets and successes is proven to be an effective way to not only gain employee engagement but encourages long term staff loyalty and retention.
Whilst business hierarchies are a natural necessity, ensuring employees feel valued and included in company changes and growth is vitally important. Understanding their career aspirations is equally fundamental to building a strong, efficient and loyal workforce. The need to want to do better, be better and progress up a career ladder, is instinctive for many, and business leaders should take advantage and support this. Helping to shape someone’s career can be incredibly rewarding.
Internal marketing is so much more than just an informative enewsletter or posts on an intranet. It extends to the entire culture of the business. Happy, satisfied employees can be an invaluable marketing asset, in the same way that disgruntled ones can have the opposite impact. Every member of staff represents the business they work for – when they speak to customers, friends, family – every comment they make about the business is a representation of that brand. Do not underestimate the true value of internal communication and positive business culture.